Devices for treating target surfaces are well known in the art. Such devices include squeegees, paint rollers, cleaning heads, concrete floats, dust mops having renewable surfaces, dust mops having replaceable surfaces, such as the Swiffer Sweeper sold by the instant assignee.
These devices typically have a blade or other edge which contacts the target surface. The blade may be used to spread a liquid for treating the target surface or for removing liquid from the target surface. For example, a squeegee blade may be used to remove cleaning solution, and concomitantly remove soil, from a window. Or the blade may be used to spread stain or lacquer onto a hardwood floor.
One problem the user may encounter when using such a device is that it is difficult to maintain control over the blade or other component which contacts the target surface. This difficulty may be exacerbated as the size of the target surface increases. Particularly, when the user encounters a vertical target surface and wishes to begin the stroke overhead and finish the stroke near the floor, it may be difficult to maintain proper pressure against the target surface throughout the stroke.
For example, the user may be attempting to clean a window which vertically extends from floor to ceiling. The user is typically able to apply adequate pressure if the head of the cleaning device is disposed between the waist and shoulders of the user. Likewise, the user is typically able to apply adequate pressure against the target surface when the head of the cleaning device is disposed between the waist and knees of the user. However, somewhere around waist level the user may encounter difficulty in the transition and not apply sufficient pressure against the target surface for the cleaning device to operate at optimum efficacy. This difficulty may result in chatter or even separation from the target surface.
A simple planar handle and scraper are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,200,948 and 5,009,009. Another example of a planarly disposed handle and head is found in the common paint roller. Attempts to improve upon this system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,685 which shows a cleaning implement having a curved handle and in U.S. Pat. No. 7,308,729 B2 showing a vacuum nozzle with integral squeegee. But these devices hold the head in fixed relationship to the handle. As such, they do not provide optimum ergonomics for all conditions.
An attempt to improve upon this system is found in devices having a pivot or universal joint on the head, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. D622,463 S, 5,175,902, 5,549,167, 5,862,562, 7,007,338 and in commonly assigned patents Des. U.S. Pat. Nos. 409,343, D615,260 S, 5,888,006, 6,842,936 B2 and 7,516,508 B2.But these attempts to work with just the head have not proven entirely successful.
Attempts have also been made to compensate for the ergonomic shortcomings by providing different handle arrangements. Illustrative handle arrangements are shown in U.S. 2008/0265536 A1, 2008/0236972 A1, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,124,474 B2 and 7,571,945 B2. Yet other handle arrangements can be found. For example, Lowes advertises a paint roller handle having the roller axis in adjustable, non-planar relationship relative to the longitudinal axis of the handle.
But attempts to improve the handle, in isolation, like the attempts to improve the head, in isolation, have not proven entirely satisfactory. Accordingly, a new approach is needed.